TEFSCBSS Chapter 84

Chapter 84: The Ancient Version of A Tempting Offer

Su Li had no idea about any arranged marriages or political turmoil—she was simply delighted to see the growing crowd gathering around.

She nudged Zhao Wen, the spokesperson from the Ministry of Justice, and once again brought out her prized possession—her paper megaphone. Grabbing Zhao Wen, she stepped onto the high platform.

“Everyone, quiet down!”

“I know you’re all curious about today’s event. Don’t worry, I’m here to explain everything to you!”

As soon as Su Li took the stage, the crowd quieted. Those standing farther away even rushed off to fetch their friends and family, afraid of missing out on something exciting.

“Our script store is collaborating with the Ministry of Justice to adapt classic cases and use them as a way to recruit talent. Those who perform exceptionally well during this event may catch the eye of influential figures and gain opportunities to become retainers or receive financial support for further studies!”

“And once the event is over, the participant with the highest score will receive an official internship offer and get the chance to work as an apprentice legal advisor at the Ministry of Justice or the Department of Armed Forces!”

The crowd erupted into a frenzy. This was no small matter! In the past, only those with connections could become constables or legal advisors.

These lower-ranked positions didn’t come with official government appointments, meaning they were essentially temporary workers. Even their salaries depended on their superiors’ generosity. Getting a formal position was a rare opportunity—unless one had outstanding talent and was lucky enough to find a mentor, or had strong connections, ordinary people wouldn’t even dare to dream about such things.

But now, the owner of the West Tower was saying she had secured internship spots for them! Even if it was just an internship, it was an incredible opportunity!

If they could stay on, if they performed well—their futures would be limitless!

In an instant, more and more people swarmed around the script store, packing the entire street.

Seeing this, Su Li raised her voice and announced the detailed rules and process.

“Although this is an open recruitment, there are still requirements! The first step is to submit a résumé!”

“A résumé is essentially an introduction of yourself—your name, past experiences, any articles you’ve written, and your thoughts on various topics.”

“There are no restrictions on official qualifications. As long as you can read and write, have good character, and possess talent and insight, you are welcome to submit a résumé!”

“All submitted résumés will be reviewed by several officials from the Ministry of Justice, and ten candidates will be selected to participate in this program!”

“During the internship, the selected candidates will follow a mentor and gain practical experience in the city. Their performances will be recorded and scored.”

“Every ten days, there will be a small competition held at the script store, where candidates will analyze real cases selected by the Ministry of Justice. They will recreate crime scenes, reexamine evidence, and deliver judgments! Some cases will be unjust rulings, some will be strange mysteries, and the difficulty level will keep increasing!”

“The deadline for résumé submissions is in three days, and the selected candidates will be announced within five days!”

After speaking, Su Li handed the megaphone to Zhao Wen, signaling him to say a few words.

In the crowd, someone recognized Zhao Wen as the son of the Minister of Justice. Word quickly spread, and the excitement in the crowd intensified.

“This is real!”

“The civil service exam just ended, and I thought I’d have no other chance to enter the government. Now, there’s an opportunity—I can’t miss it!”

“Aunt Zhang, isn’t your nephew a child scholar? He kept failing his exams due to bad luck. This could be a great opportunity for him! You need to tell him right away!”

Among the crowd, Wang Qingmu’s eyes shone with excitement. The scholar exams were held once a year, while the provincial exams took place once every three years. He had just passed the scholar exam this year, meaning he could only take the provincial exam next year, followed by the national exams for official degrees.

He had been worried about his unfamiliarity with government procedures and feared he might not perform well in the exams. But now, if he could secure this internship or gain the favor of a powerful patron, he might be able to train at another government office. That would give him experience, helping him articulate his knowledge better in the exams and significantly increasing his chances of success!

Wang Qingmu wasn’t the only one thinking this way. Many others in the crowd shared the same idea. They gathered around the script store, bombarding Su Li and Zhao Wen with questions, eager to sign up immediately and start the competition the next day.

Meanwhile, in the palace—Wende Hall.

The Emperor listened to the eunuch steward’s report, exchanging skeptical glances with his trusted ministers.

“Cough, cough… Grand Tutor Wang, do you think this will work?”

“Your Majesty, you always say that we lack talented individuals, but reforming the imperial examination system is a slow and difficult process. While this method may seem more like a game, it is still an effective way to discover talent.”

Grand Tutor Wang then shared his recent experiences secretly observing the script store. He added, “That shopkeeper Zhao is supposedly the Prime Minister’s so-called ‘fake daughter.’ However, in my observations, she is upright and full of innovative ideas. The scripts and games she creates broaden people’s minds. Even my good-for-nothing grandson has started thinking more critically—uh, I mean, he has learned to apply knowledge more flexibly.”

“Besides, we’re only offering internship spots. We still have full control over who gets selected and who ultimately receives the appointment. Even those old conservatives won’t be able to find fault with this. They might even take the chance to push their people into the program.”

The Minister of Justice quickly chimed in, “Your Majesty, rest assured, we will rigorously screen all applications before presenting the final list for your approval.”

The Emperor nodded but still had concerns. “It’s fine for recruiting talent, but… in a month, when the foreign delegation arrives, are we going to have them compete against these… ‘players’?”

Previously, Grand Tutor Wang had suggested involving the foreign delegation in the script store’s competitions.

Su Li had initially intended to ask the Minister of Justice to appoint legal advisors as mentors for the participants. However, Grand Tutor Wang thought it would be even better to bring the foreign envoys into the challenge.

It would serve as entertainment for the envoys while showcasing the capital’s intellectual scene. At the same time, it would allow the city’s young talents to compete against the foreign representatives, potentially dampening their arrogance.

In past years, foreign envoys had either engaged in poetry contests with princes and noblemen or participated in martial competitions at the training grounds. The results had been mixed, but now, with the arranged marriage negotiations looming, a loss on their side would give the foreigners leverage to demand excessive terms.

However, if they competed in the script store’s event, it would be different. The participants were merely ordinary citizens of the imperial capital. If the foreign envoys lost, the empire could gain the upper hand in negotiations. If they won, the officials could study their strategies and prepare countermeasures, giving the empire an advantage in the final official contest.

Grand Tutor Wang continued, “Your Majesty, there’s no need to worry. Besides, Su Li has promised that all proceeds from the event will be donated to disaster relief efforts, alleviating some of your burdens.”

The Emperor was pleased. “She’s quite thoughtful. I still remember holding her when she was a child.”

Thinking of Su Li’s mischievous childhood antics, the Emperor chuckled. “Very well, let’s give it a try.”

“There’s still a month left. Keep a close eye on the script store’s progress. If all goes well, I’ll make arrangements. We must not let our empire lose face.”

With that settled, the officials shifted their discussion to flood relief and earthquake recovery efforts. The disaster funds had already been distributed, but rebuilding the affected regions and restoring stability would take time and effort.

Su Li knew nothing of these deliberations. She only heard that the Emperor was personally supporting her event—shocked and overjoyed.

That night, she was so excited that she spent the entire night lying in a coffin. The next morning, she left Zhao Si and the others in charge of the shop and ran straight to the Princess’s residence.